Paper-separating mechanism

ABSTRACT

A paper-separating plate is adapted for a paper-separating mechanism having a paper-separating roller. The paper-separating plate placed around a side of the paper-separating roller comprises a main body and a cushion. The main body has a surface and a plurality of grooves and the grooves are positioned on the surface. The cushion is positioned on the surface of the main body and covers the grooves. The cushion positioned over the partial grooves is elastically pressed onto the paper-separating roller. The grooves, neighboring one another or each other, linearly extend in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the paper-separating roller. Besides, the cushion is made of flexible material and the main body is made of rigid material.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates in general to a paper-separating plate with multi-stages. More particularly, the invention relates to a paper-separating plate suitable for a paper-seized mechanism of an automatic document feeder (ADF).

2. Description of the Related Art

An image input/output device, such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine or a scanner, is provided with contains an image-input system. In general, a document is placed on a glass plate, and an optical system placed under the glass plate is used to read an image, such as words or figures. In case When the dimensions of documents coincide, the image input/output device can be designed with an automatic document feeder matching the optical system. Therefore, by the automatic document feeder Consequently, the documents can be transferred one by one and pass by over the surface of the glass plate. Meanwhile , with the use of the automatic document feeder, and the images of the documents can be read by the linear scanning of the optical system. Also, the automatic Automatic document feeders can be mounted on a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a scanner, or other machines where a stake stack of documents has to separates are separated.

Currently, the automatic document feeder is provided with the paper-separating mechanism in order to transfer documents one by one to a scanning region of the optical system of the image input/output device. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a known traditional paper-separating mechanism. A paper-separating mechanism 100 includes a paper-separating roller 110, a paper-feed roller 120 and a paper-separating plate 130. The paper-separating roller 110 and the paper-feed roller 120 are mounted in the automatic document feeder. The axis of the paper-separating roller 100 is substantially parallel with that of the paper-feed roller 120 and the rolling direction of the paper-separating roller 110 is the same as that of the paper-feed roller 120. Besides, the contact surface 132 of the paper-separating plate 130 is elastically pressed onto the bottom surface of both the paper-separating roller 110 and the paper-feed roller 120. For example, one end of the paper-separating plate 130 is pivoted on the automatic document feeder, as shown in the right portion of FIG. 1, while a spring 134 is mounted onto the other end of the paper-separating plate 130, as shown in the left portion of FIG. 1. As a result, the contact surface 132 of the paper-separating plate 130 can be elastically pressed onto the bottom surface of both the paper-separating roller 110 and the paper-feed roller 120.

The condition that documents 10 are separated by the paper-separating mechanism 100 is that when the friction (Fr) between the roller (the paper-separating roller 110 or the paper-feed roller 120) and documents 10 is larger than the friction (Fp) between the paper-separating plate 130 and documents 10 and that the friction (Fp) between the paper-separating plate 130 and documents 10 is larger that the friction (Fd) between documents 10. In other words, the condition that documents 10 are separated by the paper-separating mechanism 100 is “Fr>Fp>Fd”. When a stack of documents 10 is transferred into the paper-separating mechanism 100, a first paper-separating operation is performed using the paper-feed roller 120 and the paper-separating plate 130. In an ideal case, documents 10 should be transferred one by one to the space between the paper-separating roller 110 and the paper-separating plate 130 using the paper-feed roller 120 and the paper-separating plate 130. However, two or three sheets of documents 10 may be transferred to the space between the paper-separating roller 110 and the paper-separating plate 130. In the that case, several sheets of documents 10 are first separated from a stack of documents 10 using the paper-feed roller 120 and the paper-separating plate 130. Subsequently, the several sheets of documents 10 first separated are transferred to the space between the paper-separating roller 110 and the paper-separating plate 130. Next, only one sheet of documents 10 is second then separated from the several sheets of documents 10 first separated using the paper-separating roller 110 and the paper-separating plate 130 . However, provided that if the condition of “Fr>Fp>Fd” is not satisfied, two or even more sheets of documents 10 can be output after documents 10 are separated using the paper-separating roller 110 of paper-separating mechanism 100 and the paper-separating plate 130. The the documents 10 can not be separated one by one from one another effectively.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide a paper-separating plate with multi-stages that more reliably separates documents. The paper-separating plate with multi-stages is suitable for a paper-separating mechanism. The paper-separating effect with multi-stages is provided using the paper-separating plate of the invention so that the success probability of separating documents one by one is enhanced.

To achieve the foregoing and other objectives, the present invention provides a paper-separating plate adapted for a paper-separating mechanism having a paper-separating roller. The paper-separating plate placed around a side of the paper-separating roller comprises a main body and a cushion. The main body has a surface and a plurality of grooves and the grooves are positioned on the surface. The cushion is positioned on the surface of the main body and covers the grooves. The cushion positioned over the partial grooves is elastically pressed onto the paper-separating roller. The grooves linearly extend in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the paper-separating roller, the linear grooves neighboring one another or each other. Besides, the cushion is made of flexible material and the main body is made of rigid material.

Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. A simple description of the drawings is as follows.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a known traditional paper-separating mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a paper-separating plate with multi-stages according to an embodiment of the present invention. The direction arrow indicates the path of the paper.

FIG. 3 is a magnified view of regions of the paper-separating plate of FIG. 2. The direction arrow indicates the path of the paper.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a partial structure of the paper-separating plate of FIG. 3. The direction arrow indicates the path of the paper.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a paper-separating plate with multi-stages according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the paper-separating plate is suitable for a paper-separating mechanism. A paper-separating mechanism 200 includes a paper-separating roller 210, a paper-feed roller 220 and a paper-separating plate 230 with multi-stages. The paper-separating roller 210 and the paper-feed roller 220 are mounted in the automatic document feeder (not shown). The axis of the paper-separating roller 210 is substantially parallel with that of the paper-feed roller 220 and the rolling direction of the paper-separating roller 210 is the same as that of the paper-feed roller 220. Besides, the contact surface 232 of the paper-separating plate 230 is elastically pressed onto the bottom surface of both the paper-separating roller 210 and the paper-feed roller 220. For example, one end of the paper-separating plate 230 is pivoted on the automatic document feeder, as shown in the right portion of FIG. 2, while a spring 234 is mounted onto the other end of the paper-separating plate 230, as shown in the left portion of FIG. 2.

The condition that documents 20 are separated by the paper-separating mechanism 200 is that the friction (Fr) between the roller (the paper-separating roller 210 or the paper-feed roller 220) and documents 20 is larger than the friction (Fp) between the paper-separating plate 230 and documents 20 and that the friction (Fp) between the paper-separating plate 230 and documents 20 is larger that the friction (Fd) between documents 20. In other words, the condition that documents 20 are separated by the paper-separating mechanism 200 is “Fr>Fp>Fd”.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, FIG. 3 is a magnified view of regions of the paper-separating plate of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of a partial structure of the paper-separating plate of FIG. 3. The paper-separating plate 230 with multi-stages is constructed of a main body 230a and a cushion 230b. The main body 230a is provided with plenty a plurality of linear grooves 236a that are located on a surface 238 of the main body 230a. The linear grooves 236a extends in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the paper-separating roller 210 and neighbor one another. In other words, the structure between every two of the neighboring linear grooves 236a neighbored can be regarded as a linear protrusion 236b. Besides In addition, the cushion 230b is placed on the surface 238 of the main body 230a and covers the linear grooves 236a. The cushion 230b can be made of flexible material, while the main body 230a can be made of rigid material.

Referring to both FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, because the paper-separating roller 210 can be made of elastic material, when the paper-separating plate 230 is elastically pressed onto the bottom surface of the paper-separating roller 210, the bottom surface of the paper-separating roller 210 can contact closely with the cushion 230b of the paper-separating plate 230. The bottom surface of the paper-separating roller 210 is deformed as a flat type elastically flattened in the region directly adjacent the paper-separating plate 230 . The cushion 230b positioned over the linear grooves 236a can be deformed as shallow cavities by the pressure applied by the paper-separating roller 210. The pressure applied on the cushion 230b positioned on the linear protrusions 236b is larger than the pressure applied on the cushion 230b positioned over the linear grooves 236a at the two sides of the linear protrusions 236b. The regions of the cushion 230b located on the linear protrusions 236b is defined as linear pressed regions, the circular regions indicated with dotted lines as shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to both FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, when two or more documents 20 are transferred to the space between the paper-separating roller 210 and the paper-separating plate 230 with multi-stages, the documents can be first separated at a first linear pressed region 301a. If not only one document 20 is separated at the first linear pressed region 301a, the retaining documents 20 are transferred to a second linear pressed region 301b and separated again at the second linear pressed region 301b. Then, if not only one document 20 is separated at the second linear pressed region 301b, the retaining documents 20 are transferred to a third linear pressed region 301c and separated again at the third linear pressed region 301c until the documents is output one by one. Also, the documents can be separated at the space between the paper-feed roller 220 and the paper-separating plate 230 with multi-stages.

Referring to FIG. 2, the contact surface 232 of the paper-separating plate 230 with multi-stages can be divided into a first contact surface 232a and a second contact surface 232b. The documents 20 can be separated at the space between the paper-separating roller 210 and the first contact surface 232a, and, also, the documents 20 can be separated at the space between the paper-feed roller 210 and the second contact surface 232b. The paper-separating plate 230 with multi-stages is provided with a turning region, the circular region indicated with dotted lines as shown in the central region of FIG. 2. There is an acute angle between the normal vector of the first contact surface 232a and the normal vector of the second contact surface 232b. After the documents 20 are separated at the space between the paper-feed roller 210 and the second contact surface 232b, the documents 20 are transferred to the outer surface of the paper-separating roller 210 in the direction parallel with the second contact surface 232b. When the documents 20 contact with the outer surface of the paper-separating roller 210, the paper-separating roller 210 stirs an a leading edge of the documents 20. Thus, the neighbored leading edge of neighboring documents 20 are stacked not so closely that become separated, thereby allowing the documents 20 can to be separated relatively easily when they are transferred to the space between the paper-separating roller 210 and the second contact surface 232b of the paper-separating plate 230. The structure of the paper-separating plate 230 around the paper-separating roller 210 and the paper-feed roller 220 is similar with the structure as shown in FIG. 3.

To sum upIn summary, the present invention has the following advantages:

-   -   1. According to the present invention, intensive linear grooves         (or linear protrusions) are formed on the main body of the         paper-separating plate with multi-stages and a cushion covers         the linear grooves and the linear protrusions. Thus, many linear         press regions are distributed on the cushion and documents can         be separated many times by the paper-separating roller and the         paper-separating plate with multi-stages. Therefore, the         successful probability likelihood that documents are output one         by one is enhanced.     -   2. According to the present invention, the paper-separating         plate is provided with two contact surfaces with an acute angle         therebetween. When documents contact with the outer surface of         the paper-separating roller, the paper-separating roller can         stir an a leading edge of the documents. Thus, the neighbored         leading edge of neighboring documents are stacked not so closely         that become separated, thereby allowing the documents can to be         separated relatively easily during following separating         operations.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

1. A paper-separating plate adapted for a paper-separating mechanism having a paper-separating roller and the paper-separating plate, placed around a side of the paper-separating roller , comprising: a main body having a surface and a plurality of grooves, the grooves with at least one groove positioned on the surface are , wherein the at least one groove is lined in parallel with respect to an axis of the a paper-separating roller; and a cushion positioned on the surface of the main body and covering the at least one grooves , wherein the cushion positioned over the partial grooves is elastically pressed onto the paper-separating roller.
 2. The paper-separating plate according to claim 1, wherein the cushion extends over the grooves, neighboring one another or each other, linearly extend in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the paper-separating roller at least one groove.
 3. The paper-separating plate according to claim 1, wherein the cushion is made of flexible material.
 4. The paper-separating plate according to claim 1, wherein the main body is made of rigid material.
 5. A paper-separating mechanism, comprising: a paper-separating roller; and a paper-separating plate, placed around a side of adjacent to the paper-separating roller, comprising: a main body having a first surface and a plurality of first grooves, the first grooves positioned on the first surface, wherein the plurality of grooves are lined in parallel with respect to an axis of the paper-separating roller; and a first cushion positioned on the first surface of the main body and covering the first plurality of grooves, wherein the first cushion positioned over the partial first grooves is elastically pressed onto the paper-separating roller.
 6. The paper-separating mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the first plurality of grooves, neighboring one another or each other, linearly extend in a direction substantially parallel with to the axis of the paper-separating roller.
 7. The paper-separating mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the first cushion is made of flexible material.
 8. The paper-separating mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the main body is made of rigid material.
 9. The paper-separating mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the paper-separating mechanism further comprises comprising a paper-feed roller placed around having an axis, wherein the paper-feed roller is located near the paper-separating roller, and wherein the axis of the paper-separating feed roller is parallel with that to the axis of the paper-feed separating roller.
 10. A paper-separating mechanism, comprising: a paper-separating roller having an axis; a paper-feed roller placed around having an axis, wherein the paper-feed roller is located near the paper-separating roller and an the axis of the paper-separating roller is generally parallel with that to the axis of the paper-feed roller; and a paper-separating plate, placed around a side located adjacent to an outer diameter of the paper-separating roller, comprising: a main body having a first surface and with a plurality of first grooves, the first grooves positioned on the first surface, a plurality of second grooves and a second cushion, the second grooves are placed on a second surface, the second cushion is placed on the second surface and covers the with a plurality of second grooves, and the second cushion positioned over the partial second groove is elastically pressed onto the paper-feed roller, and a first cushion positioned on the first surface of the main body and covering the first grooves, wherein the first cushion positioned over the partial first grooves is elastically pressed onto the paper-separating roller a cushion positioned on the first and second surfaces of the main body.
 11. The paper-separating mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of second grooves, neighboring one another or each other, linearly extend in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the paper-feed roller.
 12. The paper-separating mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the second cushion is made of flexible material.
 13. The paper-separating mechanism according to claim 10, wherein there is an acute angle between the a normal vector of the first surface and the a normal vector of the second surface.
 14. A paper-separating plate, comprising: a main body having a surface with at least one groove; and a cushion positioned on the surface of the main body and covering the at least one groove, wherein the cushion covering the at least one groove is elastically pressed onto a paper-separating roller, and wherein the at least one groove is parallel to an axis of the paper-separating roller.
 15. The paper-separating plate according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one groove linearly extends in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the paper-separating roller.
 16. The paper-separating plate according to claim 14 , wherein the cushion is made of flexible material.
 17. The paper-separating plate according to claim 14 , wherein the main body is made of rigid material.
 18. An automatic document feeder, comprising: a paper-separating roller having an axis; a paper-feed roller having an axis, wherein the paper-feed roller is located near the paper-separating roller and the axis of the paper-separating roller is substantially parallel to the axis of the paper-feed roller; and a paper-separating plate, comprising: a single main body having a first cushioned surface elastically pressed toward the paper-separating roller and a second cushioned surface elastically pressed toward the paper-feed roller, wherein the main body comprises a plurality of grooves.
 19. The automatic document feeder according to claim 18, further comprising a cushion positioned on the main body.
 20. The automatic document feeder according to claim 19, wherein the cushion is configured to deform into the plurality of grooves located beneath the paper-separating roller.
 21. The automatic document feeder according to claim 19, wherein the cushion covers the plurality of grooves on the main body.
 22. The automatic document feeder according to claim 19, wherein the cushion is made of flexible material.
 23. The paper-separating mechanism according to claim 10 , wherein the cushion comprises: a first cushion positioned on the first surface of the main body; and a second cushion positioned on the second surface of the main body.
 24. The automatic document feeder according to claim 19, wherein there is an acute angle between a normal vector of the first cushioned surface and a normal vector of the second cushioned surface.
 25. The paper-separating mechanism according to claim 10 , wherein the cushion covers the plurality of first grooves and the plurality of second grooves. 